Here's a little test for you. Have a look at the two paintings above and see what you think. I painted them as the first two of a set of four specifically for a gallery in Whitby. They were hung on my studio walls ostensibly as finished paintings ready for the gallery. I have made it a habit to keep paintings in view for a week or two before finally committing them to be seen by the public. I used to just Blu tack them to the walls but recently have taken to putting them in a frame while I do my review. To me the glass is the equivalent of the oil painter's (and acrylic painters too) coat of varnish, and it helps to see them as they will appear on site.So - be honest - have you noticed things that need changing or working on? I'm sure you will have - I did...eventually! Let's start with 'Forest Trod' (the one on the left). The more I looked at it, the more concerned I became. I had made a couple of basic mistakes. The trees on the right are the wrong tone. They are too dark for the harmony of the piece and together with the very dark leaves, they form a 'black hole' that sucks your gaze into it and will not let you pass. Even if you can get away and manage to get to the stop of the stairs, again you reach a full stop - there doesn't seem anywhere else to go! For someone who likes to lead viewers into my paintings this is not good. You'll see it better with these details:

...the end of the line?

In 'Bridges', I had made the elementary mistake of blocking the end of the wooden bridge - there was no way through so the painting stopped there! So what to do? In most cases I will shrug my shoulders, give myself a kick up the you know what for making such silly mistakes and bin it, consoling myself with the thought that it's only a piece of paper! Now I class myself as an experienced painter so you might be thinking how did you manage to make such basic mistakes? I'm sure a lot of fellow painters reading this will know exactly what happened. I was more interested in what had actually inspired me rather than the whole picture. In 'Forest Trod' I had been drawn by the light on the steps and spent my time focusing on getting that right at the expense of the rest of the scene. In 'Bridges' I had been attracted by and concentrated on the unusual shadows in the foreground so misread and misunderstood my references drawings and photos when I got into the studio. Now you may have heard it said that watercolour is the hardest medium to master because you can't rectify your mistakes. While this is generally true, I felt I had nothing to lose by having a go at putting things right. I work with transparent colours so washing out is easier for me. I mix my colours on the paper so my palette never changes which means, in theory, I can duplicate colours and shades. So here are the results:

"Forest Trod" - original watercolour by Glenn Marshall

The shadows now lead you past the the trees on the right, whose tones have been softened,and on up the steps. At the top there is more foliage and hazy tree trunks, hinting at further places to explore.And finally in 'Bridges' I opened the gate!

"Bridges" - original watercolour by Glenn Marshall

We will keep making mistakes but sometimes it is worth not giving up and having a go at putting things right -after all what have you got to lose?

That's fantastic, your approach to mistakes I mean, Glenn:) It's always more challenging to repair something rather than to start new work. I love your works so much, the mood you create, light and some spiritual touch, they are incredible! and so close to my photograohy and to my art prferences. I am so happy to see you works!:)

Reply

Glenn Marshall

12/8/2013 03:31:47 am

Thanks Danuta. Sometimes it seems easier to give up but if you make the effort you can get enormous satisfaction from putting things right. I suppose this applies to all of life and not just art!